The doorway of a building is often the focal point of the structure as it marks the transition point from one environment to another. The appearance of the doorway and the door itself can convey a mood and communicate an expectation of what lies beyond. For example, the imposing Romanesque columns of a courthouse communicate a solemn atmosphere indicative of the proceedings held within. On the other hand, the natural wood colors and finishes of a log cabin convey a mood of warmth and tranquility. Given the significance of the front entryway of a building or home people often decorate the front door in order to convey a particular mood or atmosphere. This is especially true for holidays and significant events.
In the United States, for example, the holidays that are key for decorating are Valentine's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. Additionally, as the trend for decorating geared to a particular theme expands, other events such as New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day have become decorating events. Other occasions such as March Madness (basketball), Super Bowl Day (football) and the like give rise to decorative themes. Seasonal themes may include the advent of spring, fall harvest, and the like.
People decorate their doors in different ways. Sometimes, a large gift-wrap style adornment is wrapped over the entire surface of the door to cover and decorate the whole surface. In other cases people prefer to use a smaller decoration such as a wreath, swag, garland, seasonal character face, icon, or symbol of the holiday.
Various ways of hanging these decorations on a door are known. Many people with a wooden door will simply hammer a nail or use a screw to hang a decoration. A metal door allows the use of a magnetic hanger. A suction-cup hook is often used to hang decorations from glass doors. A very popular means of hanging ornaments to a door is a large hook that hangs over the top of the door.
While these current methods of hanging decorations on a door are effective, they do have various drawbacks. First of all decorating a door with these methods can sometimes damage or disfigure the door. This can happen for several reasons. The nail, screw, or hole they leave behind will be visible without the decoration in place. Magnetic hooks can be so strong that they are difficult to remove without scratching the paint on the door. Traditional hangers, which are generally made of either hard plastic or metal, can leave marks by scratching the doors surface at various points.
Another issue that can arise from displaying a decoration on a door with current methods is the loss of or damage to the decoration. For example, even moderate winds can blow a decoration off of a door. Many times, in inclement weather, a simple nail or screw does not have enough strength or length to hold the decoration in place. Constant use of the door may cause the nail or screw to become loose or dislodged over time. Also, a hook or hanger sometimes gets jostled or tilted from opening and closing the door. Finally, these simple methods for hanging decorations provide very little protection against theft and or vandalism of the decoration.
Another aspect of holiday decorations is the desirability of adding lights to enhance the decoration. It is possible to run an electrical cord over or under a door to light a decoration, especially on a door that is not often used. However, in addition to being cumbersome and unsightly, using an electrical cord in this manner has the potential to be dangerous. Operation of the door could potentially damage the electrical cord, thereby exposing electricity to human contact. In other instances, a small battery pack is incorporated into the decoration, which is mounted to the front of the door. However, this exposes the battery pack to the elements as well as to theft. This arrangement also requires a battery pack for each decoration.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved decoration hangers and decorative items incorporating improved hangers that can be used on a door or other suitable structure that prevents damage to the structure, and is effective in supporting the decoration with a reduced risk of loss or damage. Furthermore, there is a need for an improved decoration hanger that provides a safe and convenient means of powering electrical components used in the decoration.